How do Democrats, Republicans feel about AI? New poll sheds light

As artificial intelligence becomes a more visible part of Americans’ day-to-day lives, there is bipartisan support for tighter regulation of the technology, according to a new poll.

The survey, conducted by the Washington-based AI Policy Institute (AIPI), found that 68% of respondents said they would support the government creating a “formal review process for the most advanced AI models before they can be widely released.”

Support for tighter government regulation was recorded among Democrats, Republicans and independents. Sixty-four percent of Republicans and 76% of Democrats said they would support the “formal review process,” while 63% of independents supported the idea.

The survey comes only weeks after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on June 2 asking AI developers to voluntarily submit their models to the federal government to review for potential security risks.

The AIPI poll was conducted between June 10 and June 11, with 1,007 likely voters responding. The poll's margin of error was ± 4.2%.

‘Strong opposition’ to AI data centers

Apart from AIPI’s poll, other polling has shown Americans’ deep disapproval of AI data centers. Gallup survey results released in May found 70% of Americans oppose the construction of data centers in their communities, with more than half expressing "strong opposition."

Common concerns include massive energy and water consumption, electronic waste and noise pollution.

That strong opposition has prompted local governments to pass moratoriums to keep data centers out of their communities. 

Among them was Monterey Park, California, which is believed to be the first city to implement a permanent ban through a ballot initiative. Voters there approved the ban on June 2. However, statewide bans have proved more elusive. Lawmakers in several states, including North Carolina, have proposed setting stricter rules for data centers.

Legislation introduced to curb AI

In March, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, announced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act. 

According to a news release from Sanders, the act would stop construction of AI infrastructure to give the government time to mandate reviews of AI products. Moreover, it would also give the public 50% ownership of the largest AI companies in the United States through a sovereign wealth fund.

“As a society, we can no longer sit back and allow a handful of Big Tech oligarchs to determine the future of this revolutionary technology with no democratic input,” Sanders said.

USA TODAY’s Joey Garrison contributed to this report.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.